Under a tenth of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to increase access, by measures like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research indicates people may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
